Featured Articles - Surveying Articles - Land Surveyors United

Sort by

New ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey Standards to Take Effect in February 2021

Effective February 23, 2021, the 2016 Minimum Standard Detail Requirements for ALTA/NSPS Land Title Surveys are being replaced with the new 2021 Minimum Standard Detail Requirements for ALTA/NSPS Land Title Surveys (“2021 Standards”). The 2021 Standards include a variety of changes which seek to further limit surveyor’s liability and provide better clarity. Some of the more notable changes are as follows:

Guide for Using Hand Signals in Land Surveying

Hand Signals Used in Land Surveying There are times on a jobsite when crew members may be too far away from one another to hear each other. In these situations, Land Surveyors and Construction workers use hand signals to communicate over distance and noise. Check out this Guide to using hand signals on the job as a land surveyor.

Helpful Checklists for Land Surveyors (Boundary, Staking, Level Loop, GPS RTK)

Checklists are indispensable assets for land surveyors, helping to ensure that each operation is executed seamlessly and meticulously. In this post, we will delve into the significance of checklists in land surveying, exploring their distinct roles in four vital areas: Boundary Survey Checklist, Elevation Level Loop, Construction Staking, and GPS RTK Checklists.

Land Surveyor Licensing

Land surveyors are mainly involved with land features and water boundaries. Prior to a building or housing complex being built, the land must first be ruled acceptable for construction. The job outlook for ambitious land surveyors is promising, and the earnings can be considerable.

Land Mentor Software License Registration is Now FREE! Thanks Neighborhood Innovations!

Get to know Land Mentor Software and their incredible history of building software.. Also, Land Surveyors United Members can now register for their free license for Land Mentor Software...

Land Surveyor Internships

Many surveyors who graduate from survey school are dumbfounded when they first enter the field. It can quickly occur to them that everything they learned about surveying - surveying history, theory and best practices - only partially prepared them for becoming a Land Surveyor. For this reason, Land Surveying Internships are a terrific opportunity for preparing new land surveyors for when "the rubber meets the road." Internships are a fantastic way of getting real industry experience no matter what career path you are choosing to go down. Not only do land survey internships better prepare a surveyor for the field, they also provide insight into how the dynamics of collaboration with a surveying crew actually works. Let's learn a bit more about Land Surveying Internships.

BEING THE SURVEYOR OF AN AIRFORCE BASE DURING THE 1980’s

BEING THE SURVEYOR OF AN AIRFORCE BASE DURING THE 1980’s

Introduction

The South African Defence Force, now the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), was involved in a Bosoorlog or Grens oorlog (Bush war or Border war)¹ from 1966 till 1989.

In order to protect the most northern borders of South Africa, a number of smaller, shorter perhaps, airstrips or airfields, sometimes referred to as tactical airfields, were constructed or in some cases upgraded.

Examples of the above are Ellisras, Punda Maria (in the Kruger National Park) and then a full scale air force base with a 4000 m runway at Louis Trichardt.

The construction at Louis Trichardt was given the project name Braambos.

A Little Bit of Background

I joined the South African Airforce during June 1972. My initial mustering was Construction Machine Operator and I was deployed at 402 Airfield Maintenance Unit (402AMU) with head quarters at air force base Ysterplaat in Cape Town. I completed the training course on 11 February 197

Focus on Land Survey Data Collectors

The most important part of creating land surveys is the data collection. Without accurate data there is no land survey. Land survey data collectors have the important role of setting up special land surveying equipment and taking precise measurements and collecting that data for use in a land survey.

How BIM can affect Quantity Surveyors?

BIM automates core processes for quantity surveyors in the preconstruction stage by reinforcing the 3D BIM model with material and component cost estimates, model-based BOMs, and scheduling.

Why is Land Surveying Beneficial?

Land surveyors use special instruments and techniques to measure the boundaries of a piece of land. They use this information to create a detailed map of the property, which is used to plan out developments or create legal documents. It is also used to make sure the boundaries of a property are clearly identified.

THE GREAT DIAMOND HOAX OF 1872 - UPENDED - Part III

We are sorry to skewer the sacred surveyor, Clarence King, (maybe we should call it the King shish kabob) but his Great Diamond Hoax of 1872 was not a hoax. Modern science has determined that John Slack's and Phillip Arnold's Diamond Peak and Diamond Flat are in diamondiferous areas, along with other nearby areas in Colorado and Wyoming. Clarence King was the hoax, and the only surveyor in history to start his own bank. How did he get that money?

The Great Diamond Hoax of 1872 - Upended - Part II

The misuse of men of science, by industrial and political leaders, has a long and sordid history. Such misuse happened in the diamond fields of Brazil, South Africa and Colorado/Wyoming. A South African whopper told in 1868 by one Geologist J.R. Gregory led to the labeling of such blatant whoppers as "telling a Gregory". Can there be the telling of "a Clarence King" or perhaps a "Fuchi"?

Focus on Land Surveying Continuing Education

The role of land surveyors is highly advanced and to get their license they must undergo several years study, work experience and licensing examinations. However, it doesn't stop there. In recent years many states require land surveyors to get involved in continuing education throughout their career. In today's guide we shall look at land surveying continuing education in more detail.

Land Survey Technicians

Land survey technicians are always in demand, and it is a career path that is required all around the world. Land surveying dates back thousands of years and is even more important today than ever before. In today's guide we shall look at the job of a land survey technician. What is a Land Survey Technician?

What’s the Difference Between an ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey and a Boundary Survey?

ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey vs Boundary Survey: What is the difference?

Land Surveying Markers & Monumentation

All about the types of Land Surveying Markers & Monumentations. Land survey markers or land survey monuments are objects that are placed in marking major survey points on the earth’s surface. They are placed for use during surveys and for possible following surveys to come. Markers are typically durable and are often intended to be permanent. They can be as straightforward as a chisel mark or nail to as complex as stamped metal disks that are set into concrete or rock pillars.

TYPES of SURVEYING

Types of Surveying: This list is a very simple explanation of each of the types of surveys that are talked about here. As you can see, some types of surveys are known by multiple names. These can change in different parts of the country.

Land Surveyor Maps

The ability to read and use a variety of maps is crucial in land surveying. Land surveyors begin with a large-scale map in order to make a landscape-level plan. After the land surveyor determines the need for specific projects a stand-level map will be required. Two kinds of stand-level maps include: Transportation maps and Topographic maps.

Land Survey - Do I Need One?

Survey—do I need one? The most common mistake made by home buyers is not having a survey done prior to purchasing a property.

Land Surveying Consultants

With a history dating back more than 5000 years, the land surveying profession is one of the oldest professions in the world and they are just as important in modern society as they were in the days of ancient man. In today's guide we shall look at what land surveying consultants are and where you can find one. What are Land Surveying Consultants ? What do they do?

of 2

Do you have an article about Land Surveying that you would like to share?

Land Surveying is a timeless art and science and it is therefore, evergreen! You may also know that a lot of older publications have gone away, unfortunately. If you have written or published land surveying articles in the past, we would be honored for you to share them here with us. If it is an older article, you can even republish it here with updates and reflections.

class="block"Tip: If you published an article in the past on one of the older sites which no longer exist, you can use the Wayback Machine to find it. Then just copy/paste the old article inside a new post here. Just be sure to tell us where it was previously posted.

Want to embed a PDF Document?

If you have a PDF document or article related to land surveying that you would like to embed inside an article post, simply copy/paste the following code block into the HTML view of the post editor and replace the BOLD part of the code with the URL of the PDF you'd like to embed.

Code to use:

TIP: You can also upload your PDF using the file upload button and then copy/paste the URL of the document you uploaded with the BOLD part of the code above to get a flippable PDF like so:

Differences between Forums, Blogs and Article posts

Forum Posts are great for asking questions which have a definate answer. Forum posts are best for a quick exchange of information between Land Surveyors United members. Please note that All Community Hubs have their own dedicated Forums so if your post is related to a specific hub, it is best to ask your question or share your tip inside the hub in which it belongs for targeted answers. For example, if your question relates to Leica equipment, ask your question inside the Leica Hub forum for best results as all members inside that hub uses the equipment in question. Likewise if your question pertains to a Location, you should consider making your post inside the appropriate hub.

Add Discussion

Blog Postsdiffer from Forum posts because you can embed and upload different kinds of information. Blog posts are best for presenting information and updates for feedback and sharing. When posting a Blog Post, you can also publish a short excerpt at the bottom which is what most members will see before reading the blog post. Blog posts are also great for posting new surveying projects and digests of links to multiple surveying topics or your own website. Things that can be embedded into Blog Posts are videos, images, slideshows, powerpoints, spreadsheets, PDFs, documents and more.

Add Blog Post

Articles are similar to Blog Posts in all ways except one. Articles allow for you to post an Author Block at the bottom with links to your contact info, website information, credentials, etc. Similar to Blog Posts, things that can be embedded into Blog Posts are videos, images, slideshows, powerpoints, spreadsheets, PDFs, documents and more. Similar to both types above, Hub Owners can add article sections and features to any hub they control on the community.

Add Article

Note: this page is for Futurist members who support the community and help us sustain financially.Please subscribe to unlock this page an almost 100 surveyor tools.

Note: this page is for Futurist members who support the community and help us sustain financially.Please subscribe to unlock this page an almost 100 surveyor tools.

Note: this page is for Futurist members who support the community and help us sustain financially.Please subscribe to unlock this page an almost 100 surveyor tools.

Note: this page is for Futurist members who support the community and help us sustain financially.Please subscribe to unlock this page an almost 100 surveyor tools.

Note: this page is for Futurist members who support the community and help us sustain financially.Please subscribe to unlock this page an almost 100 surveyor tools.